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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: key · deal · cell · bound · arm · safe · chest · rest

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. chest — of your body
  3. cell — in biology
  4. cell — a phone
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bound — tied together
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bound — obliged
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. chest — a box
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. key — in music
  13. rest — what's left
  14. chest — of your body
  15. key — for a lock
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. bound — certain
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. key — the most important part
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. rest — a break

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com